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Milk weed?

I've got several fields with tons of milk weed growing in it. I've been spreading it around for the monarch butterflies to live off of. It is getting ready to flower in my area now and I've seen bees on them before. Does anyone know if it makes good honey? The flowers do smell good.

Re: Milk weed?

Thank you both for the links. Looks like the bees will like it here. Also from the link from beregondo I learned varroa don't like lavender or coriander. I'll have to get some of those to help keep them safe.

Re: Milk weed?

I live on a restored prairie and it's full of milkweed. Milkweed is easy to spread and I often take seeds and spread them. The flowers usually bloom about the same time as thistle, with linden soon to follow. I find the honey from these sources light hard to crystalize. The linden gives it a bit of a minty flavor. Bee's love milkweed!

Re: Milk weed?

There was a small patch of milkweed growing out in my 7 acres and last summer the bees were working it like crazy. It was very very dry and not much else available seemed like but those milkweeds were thick with bees. I recall that was maybe early/mid July last year, about. This year looks a month early. It was getting close a week ago when I looked at it.

Re: Milk weed?

Originally Posted by Bird Man

Here the buds are still pretty small. Only one here and there are getting bigger with a hint of pink on them. It's been so cold and wet the past week and a half here.

My bees are near Springville and I haven't seen them in almost two weeks. I am getting pretty worried about them, but hoping that the food they had left and the couple hours of sun a day we've been getting here have also been happening there. My husband keeps reminding me that this was supposed to be a hands-off hobby - but I'm finding it awfully hard to be two hours (and a border crossing) away!

Re: Milk weed?

The milkweed here is nearing the end now. The bees like it, but I've got a lot of sweet clover that they seem to like more. I wish the bloom times were a little more offset. I've also got quite a bit of alfalfa that is allowed to bloom, but once the clover is blooming that's all they seem to want.